I turn to Tina. “You’re not funny. What the fuck?” I whisper.

“Did I not mention that Jake taught this class? He told me about it the other night.” She smiles before greeting the group.

My bad mood just tripled. The music turns up, and he instructs everyone to line up. Being the newbies, Tina and I move to the back. Jake goes through the warm-ups, which don’t seem so bad. It’s a mix of push-ups, suicides, and sit-ups for five minutes. It’s like high school gym class all over again. I got this shit. Every time I run I feel his eyes on me. My senses are on high alert, and it is so hard to focus on the task at hand.

“Time’s up!” Jake shouts and his loud voice makes me jump. He makes his way back to the front of the room, and I can’t help but check him out. He is wearing a tight black t-shirt and red basketball shorts. His huge biceps look as if they might bust through the straining material making every girl in here a happy camper.

Everyone starts to move and grab the barbells. Great, I was daydreaming and now have no idea what I’m supposed to be doing. Tina calls me over, and I quickly catch up with her.

“We are sharing a spotter. Girl, get your head out of the hormone clouds.” Jake announces that we are doing back squats with the bars and then demonstrates the proper form. I can’t help but watch his ass as he squats down, and the fabric stretches tight over it. My core aches in a way I am not used to. This is insane. I can’t be here. Tina goes first, and when she is done with her set, I position myself under the bar. Standing up, I bear its weight on my shoulders before squatting down.

When I stand straight, I know he is behind me. “Nina, when you squat you want to lean forward more. Pretend there is a chair you are trying to sit on.” He goes to walk around me before leaning in close to me. “Stick that beautiful ass out a little more.”

I look around to see if anyone noticed and everyone is oblivious, even Tina. My eyes are watching him as my body is screaming for him to touch me. I squat down trying to take his direction as he watches me from the side. His tongue traces the line of his bottom lip as his eyes are glued to my ass. I complete my other three reps before returning the bar. Holy shit.

A part of me is scared by the way Jake looks at me. I’m so inexperienced, and I’d be willing to bet that he isn’t. I don’t want to be attracted to him, but I am. Fighting it sucks.

I am not going to make it through this whole class. Watching him watch me, is sexy. I look over at my so called best friend and see her smiling at me. “We aren’t friends anymore.”

She finishes her set. “Yeah, okay, bitch. Tell me that when you two finally do the dirty.”

My mouth drops open. “Not going to happen.” I return to do my next set.

“Girl, the way that man is looking at you, I half expect him to bend you over one of these benches the next time you squat. And it isn’t one sided, Mother Theresa.”

“You’re delirious.”

“Yeah, and you’re horny and in denial.” She laughs before taking a drink of water. Tina has no idea that I’m a virgin, so she probably thinks I’m chomping at the bit to have sex with Jake

After finishing our strength set, Jake announces we are on our last section of the class called “metcon.” “Get ready for hell, girls.” Jake jokes as he walks past us.

We are instructed to grab kettle bells for swings. He explains that this will last as long as it takes us to complete the goal. We have to do 100 burpees, whatever the hell they are, stopping to do twenty swings every other minute. I ask Jake what a burpee is, and he shows me real quick. This shouldn’t be that bad.

I was wrong. Very wrong. Burpees are the spawn of Satan. I can’t feel my legs, and I can barely lift my arms as I stumble toward the car. I sit down wincing and groaning with every muscle movement. My phone buzzes, and it’s a text from a number I don’t know.

I’ll be by tonight to help work out those sore muscles, Sparky.

How the hell did he get my number? I look over at my friend and instantly know. “Why the hell would you give him my number?”

“To help speed this process up. There is so much sexual tension between the two of you, it’s making me horny.” She shakes her head before starting the car and heading for the house.

She doesn’t get it.

I can’t let him in.

Chapter Six

Nina

Kill. Me. Now.

Everything hurts. Things I didn’t know could hurt, hurt. I mean, whose boobs are sore after a workout? It even hurts to arch my eyebrows. I don’t know what the hell kind of a workout that was, but it should be illegal. Thank God we live in an apartment because there are no steps. Although I’m sure the neighbors had a ball watching us climb the flight of steps outside exclaiming “ow” with each movement. I can’t even go to the bathroom in peace because bending down is not a possibility. It’s basically hover then drop. How do people do this all the time?

A knock sounds at the door, and I groan. Tina is taking a nap, and I can’t bear to get up. “It’s unlocked unless you are a machete wielding psycho. In that case, there are three locks and a high-tech security system!” I know it's risky just to invite someone in, but it’s probably Sam or Jules. That, and by the time I got to the door they would have probably left.

The door opens, and it’s Jake. Of course it is. I hold my hand up to him as he comes in. “I have no energy and am in no way capable of doing this tonight. Please have mercy on my physically challenged soul.”

He laughs and walks toward me. “That sore, huh?” I nod. “Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the second day it is always worse.”

“Fuck you. There is no way it can get worse than this.”

“Chill out Sparky. I knew you would be sore; that’s why I’m here.” He pulls a bottle of lotion out of his cargo pants pocket. “How about a little role reversal? Just like the first time we met. If you want to make it authentic, feel free to flash me.” He winks. Ass.

“There is no way I am agreeing to that.”

“Fine, flashing is optional. But don’t deny that you need a massage, your muscles are probably so tight they feel like they might snap.”

I don’t reply for a minute. He’s right. I am hurting so damn bad. “No, funny business.” I arch my eyebrow at him making sure he understands that I’m serious.

“Ma'am, yes, ma’am.” He salutes, eliciting a laugh from me that is quickly followed by an ouch. Even laughing hurts.

I roll ungracefully onto the carpeted floor. Getting up and then lying down would have been way more work than I am up for right now. I roll onto my stomach moaning with the movement of each muscle. “Uh, I feel like you’re a little overdressed.”

I look over at Jake, and he is smiling at me. “There is no way you are getting me naked.”

“Understood, however, how can I massage your back in a t-shirt?” He has a point.

“Turn around,” I say in my no nonsense voice, and he listens. I loudly yelp as I pull the t-shirt over my head. I had put on a sports bra earlier to help keep my boobs in place and lessen the pain. It probably covers more than a bathing suit would. I lay back down making sure everything is tucked away. “Okay, this is as good as it’s getting.”

I close my eyes knowing that I can’t watch him do this. I know his hands on me will set me on fire. Watching him while he does it will light an unmanageable flame. I feel the lotion pool on my back, and I inhale deeply at the cold sensation. His hands spread it around, his fingers gently pressing and relaxing my tense muscles. It hurts but feels so damn good at the same time.

All kinds of moans and groans are coming out of me, and if I didn’t need this massage so bad, I would probably be embarrassed enough to stop. When his hands move down to my legs, gently but firmly working my thighs my entire body is on alert. When his fingers skim the bottom of my shorts, I realize how close he is to my core. The one that he has had screaming for him on multiple occasions. Get a grip, Nina. I need to remember that this can only be a friendship between us. He wants more, and I realize I do too. Unfortunately, neither of us will get what we want.